Showing posts with label Vancil reservoir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vancil reservoir. Show all posts
Historical Summary
Written Statement presented at City Council meeting on March 2, 2009:
I would like to very briefly share with you some information I've gathered since the Special Meeting in January on the proposed 2 million gallon tank.
First, there was some discussion at that meeting regarding the need for storage for disasters. The '64 Flood and '92 Earthquake Fire were given as examples. For information on the '64 Flood I found a book, The Killer Eel at the Fortuna Library. It is a photo essay of the damage from the flood: the destroyed power lines, bridges, roads, homes and businesses. There are two photos of Fortuna floodwaters. In the caption is the information that "For several hours all of South Fortuna was threatened and more than 1000 persons were evacuated from their homes." The "Killer Eel" was kind to Fortuna. I also found in a local paper two photos of the Fortuna water department pumping plant. One photo was too dark for the machine to print, but the caption read, "Why you are boiling your water." (Dec. 31, 1964)
The City did receive $122,000 for flood damage. The June 30, 1965 Annual Financial Report, printed in the Humboldt Beacon, listed flood damage expenditures as of June 30th. They were for : water treatment, Wells No. 2 & 3, Water Site, Lift Station and Sewer Line Repairs. (Aug. 12, 1965)
As for the '92 Earthquake fire, the National Geophysical Data Center web site states an earthquake started the fire early Sunday morning and a second earthquake snapped the town's water main. Firefighters had to draw water from a nearby log pond to contain the fire.
In neither disaster was water storage the issue; the flooding of the wells and pumping station, power and piping were.
So why was Vancil built? In recent newspapers and the Staff Report (p. 25) it has been written that Vancil was built in direct response to flooding in 1964. This is not the case. Looking at Humboldt Beacon papers I found that the City Council "Accepted a bid. . .for delivery of laminated beams to roof the Vancil Street reservoir" only six months after the flood. Going backwards through the papers, I found that four months prior to the flood the City Council authorized the CAO and City Engineer "to start on the roofing project for the new city water reservoir."
And why were they building a new reservoir? Annexation was in the news. Two months after the '64 Flood the Humboldt Beacon reported that a petition was circulating "for one of the largest area annexations in the history of the City of Fortuna. . ." and on "continuing reports that many residents in the Kenmar Road and Campton Heights districts are anxious to explore the possibilities of annexation. Here again, the matter involves water,sanitation and lighting. . . " The article concludes "The City of Fortuna is not soliciting these annexations, . . .simply putting out the welcome mat, and preparing through constant utility improvements to make it possible. . ." (Feb. 11, 1965)
A couple weeks before this report the Humboldt Beacon reported that the Fortuna Area was to get a $13,000 planning grant. Perhaps the map in the 1967 Humboldt County - Fortuna General Plan Project was one of the results of that grant. The map shows the plan in 1967, 2 1/2 years after the flood, was for public facilities at the Vancil site, a tank reservoir. There are no public facilities planned for the Stewart Street site on this map.
I hope this information provides you with a clearer historical perspective as you continue planning for the use of our water rate revenues.
Note: As I retyped this here I corrected, and possibly added, a few grammatical and typographical errors. In addition to reading the written report, an apology for going over time and thanks for their patience were given orally.
I would like to very briefly share with you some information I've gathered since the Special Meeting in January on the proposed 2 million gallon tank.
First, there was some discussion at that meeting regarding the need for storage for disasters. The '64 Flood and '92 Earthquake Fire were given as examples. For information on the '64 Flood I found a book, The Killer Eel at the Fortuna Library. It is a photo essay of the damage from the flood: the destroyed power lines, bridges, roads, homes and businesses. There are two photos of Fortuna floodwaters. In the caption is the information that "For several hours all of South Fortuna was threatened and more than 1000 persons were evacuated from their homes." The "Killer Eel" was kind to Fortuna. I also found in a local paper two photos of the Fortuna water department pumping plant. One photo was too dark for the machine to print, but the caption read, "Why you are boiling your water." (Dec. 31, 1964)
The City did receive $122,000 for flood damage. The June 30, 1965 Annual Financial Report, printed in the Humboldt Beacon, listed flood damage expenditures as of June 30th. They were for : water treatment, Wells No. 2 & 3, Water Site, Lift Station and Sewer Line Repairs. (Aug. 12, 1965)
As for the '92 Earthquake fire, the National Geophysical Data Center web site states an earthquake started the fire early Sunday morning and a second earthquake snapped the town's water main. Firefighters had to draw water from a nearby log pond to contain the fire.
In neither disaster was water storage the issue; the flooding of the wells and pumping station, power and piping were.
So why was Vancil built? In recent newspapers and the Staff Report (p. 25) it has been written that Vancil was built in direct response to flooding in 1964. This is not the case. Looking at Humboldt Beacon papers I found that the City Council "Accepted a bid. . .for delivery of laminated beams to roof the Vancil Street reservoir" only six months after the flood. Going backwards through the papers, I found that four months prior to the flood the City Council authorized the CAO and City Engineer "to start on the roofing project for the new city water reservoir."
And why were they building a new reservoir? Annexation was in the news. Two months after the '64 Flood the Humboldt Beacon reported that a petition was circulating "for one of the largest area annexations in the history of the City of Fortuna. . ." and on "continuing reports that many residents in the Kenmar Road and Campton Heights districts are anxious to explore the possibilities of annexation. Here again, the matter involves water,sanitation and lighting. . . " The article concludes "The City of Fortuna is not soliciting these annexations, . . .simply putting out the welcome mat, and preparing through constant utility improvements to make it possible. . ." (Feb. 11, 1965)
A couple weeks before this report the Humboldt Beacon reported that the Fortuna Area was to get a $13,000 planning grant. Perhaps the map in the 1967 Humboldt County - Fortuna General Plan Project was one of the results of that grant. The map shows the plan in 1967, 2 1/2 years after the flood, was for public facilities at the Vancil site, a tank reservoir. There are no public facilities planned for the Stewart Street site on this map.
I hope this information provides you with a clearer historical perspective as you continue planning for the use of our water rate revenues.
Note: As I retyped this here I corrected, and possibly added, a few grammatical and typographical errors. In addition to reading the written report, an apology for going over time and thanks for their patience were given orally.
Using Vancil, staff records
Notes:
1. The records were automatically scanned front and back so there are blank pages.
2. Item #1, the 8/12/'08 Study Session Staff Report is available at friendlyfortuna.com.
1. The records were automatically scanned front and back so there are blank pages.
2. Item #1, the 8/12/'08 Study Session Staff Report is available at friendlyfortuna.com.
This is the cover letter for the preliminary records released as part of settlement of California Public Records Act lawsuit.
The original request, in October '08, was for "consultant or staff reports regarding the investigation of using the existing Vancil Street reservoir for zone1 water storage."
The City was more comfortable responding to a request for "documents held and retained by the City that are related to the information presented in Appendix C of the Staff Report dated January 12, 2009 for the Special Council meeting that was held on that date." In other words, the records used to prepare the section of the Staff Report which discusses the option of using Vancil.
more on lawsuit...
1967 plan
This map, copied from the 1967 Humboldt County - Fortuna General Plan Project, shows what was planned for the city's water storage two years after the flood.The city's Vancil Street and Stewart Street Properties have been highlighted in yellow (click on map to enlarge). The plan in '67 was that Stewart Street would no longer be zoned for public facilities; Vancil reservoir was to be the city's water storage.
Today well pumps and city piping deliver water to the Stewart Street property where a pump station moves the water up to Vancil. Without Stewart Street, pumping directly to Vancil would increase the pressure in the pipes. One option is a new pipe from the wells to Vancil to protect Zone 1 pipes.
Another option is to add a wet well at the Stewart Street pump station, but that would require starting and stopping the pumps which costs more in power and wear & tear on pumps . Perhaps another option is to use the existing round reservoir instead of building a wet well. This would reduce, perhaps eliminate, the starting and stopping of the well pumps and reduce the amount of water pumped to Vancil. If the round Stewart Street reservoir is shown to need replacing, a tank sized to meet average day usage would eliminate the need to pump Zone 1 water to Vancil on many days.
Note: Although Campton Hts. is in the planning area I do not think it had been annexed into Fortuna in '67.Vancil reservoir built in response to '64 Flood?
6 months after the '64 Flood:
Humboldt Beacon, Jun24, 1965, page 1
4 months before the '64 Flood:
Humboldt Beacon, August 20, 1964, page 1
Emphasis added
Why were they building a new reservoir? Annexation was in the news.
The council also:From: "No Increase in Taxes for City Of Fortuna"
...
Accepted a bid from the Somerville Glu-Lam Manufacturers of Santa Rosa for delivery of laminated beams to roof the Vancil Street reservoir...
Humboldt Beacon, Jun24, 1965, page 1
4 months before the '64 Flood:
Authorization was given Dinsmore and City Engineer John Winzler to start on the roofing project for the new city water reservoir.From: "May Expand Rohner Park Facilities"
Humboldt Beacon, August 20, 1964, page 1
Emphasis added
Why were they building a new reservoir? Annexation was in the news.
Fortuna's Water System Schematic
This document shows the use of PRV's. It also shows the separation of the system into north (left) and south (right) storage areas.Note on document:
First of records released to settle Egger v. City of Fortuna, et al., filed January 16, 2009
"Petitioner JANELLE EGGER, acting on her own behalf and on behalf of the public, petitions this court for a writ of mandate ordering Respondents to obey the California Public Records Act (Government Code sections 6250, et seq.)..."
Response to Staff Report's "not prudent at any cost savings" conclusion
Special Meeting on Tank, 1/12/09.
This is a response to the Staff Report Conclusion, on page 9 or 26, that a new 2 million gallon reservoir is necessary. It very briefly discusses fire flows, regulatory and design recommendations, fire insurance rates, system reliability, storage reduction, and water during a major disaster.
To read comments, click on picture, or use this link to printable / more readable version.
Also available at City Hall. Ask for writings distributed during the Jan. 12th Special Meeting. There was also a letter from the Stewart Street residents. Probably not necessary, but you might need to mention Brown Act, Section 54957.5(b). There may be a fee for copies.
New tank needed?
click here for printable / more readable page 2At the May 2008 public meeting on the tank in the park there were questions and comments about possible alternatives to a new 2 million gallon reservoir.
The Staff Report for the August 12, 2008 Study Session contained only information on site alternatives.
No public comment was allowed at the meeting. This information was handed to the Council members and staff just prior to the start of the meeting.
In response to a question from then Councilman Whitchurch, consulting engineer Dr. DeBoice stated that utilizing the Vancil Str. reservoir to replace Stewart Street storage was feasible.
Mayor Whitchurch and Members of the Fortuna City Council,
We ask that you use the city reservoir Vancil Street instead of spending 4 million dollars on a new tank. Budgets are tight, the water fund has debt to pay and deferred projects remain undone. The city reservoir can provide the needed 2 million gallons of storage and more.
The Vancil Street reservoir was built to replace the Stewart Street tanks as the city reservoir in the 1960's and was renovated last November. The pumping and piping upgrades to use Vancil can be done at a fraction of the cost of a new tank. The over $3 million dollars in savings can then be used on other deferred projects.
A new tank cannot be completed until after the spring of 2011. Meanwhile, piping upgrades to deliver additional water for fire fighting have been deferred until 2012 and 2013. The elevated Holman tank, leaking and with earthquake damage, will not be replaced this summer as planned. The piping and pumping upgrades to replace it with Vancil reservoir storage have been deferred for two more years.
The recommended storage for all of Fortuna is 4 1/2-million gallons. The current plan puts over 7-million gallons of storage in the north. There is a shortage of storage in the Campton Heights / Rohnerville area.
We respectfully request that you recognize that storage of over 5 million gallons in the north is sufficient to meet the 3 million gallon need and move quickly to make the necessary piping and pumping upgrades to use the storage in the city reservoir on Vancil Street.
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